The New Jersey Senate just voted to abolish the death penalty. The vote is expected to pass in the House too, as early as Thursday, and then on for Gov. Corzine's signature. I hope it is the beginning of a wave.

If this internet "blog" is really sponsored by US Legal Tour de Force Fitzgerald, I would be slightly chagrined because celebrity isn't cool when it comes to law. In my opinion if Patrick Fitzgerald has anything to do with a cult of personality he should politely disassociate from said web site.Also use of the word "slammer" for sentence is tacky and a little inhumane. Timothy Doyle

I see Cassandra-like an arrogance to this Irish American man. I can't quite find the quote in King Lear or Hamlet but it regards all great men. It goes something like, "Ahh!but for one some insignificant imperfection that a man of such greatness, talent and honor is brought low!". Success and arrogance cut low the greatest of people. I think it is Kent talking in King Lear. Patrick Fitzgerald has the fire of Bobby Kennedy, but I don't think RFK would do this blog thing. TV court is pathetic.

In no way can I see RFK and Fitzgerald as similar. Maybe when RFK began prosecuting the mob, but his brother's assassination was a transforming experience for him that turned him into a real mensch. I can no more see Bobby Kennedy "waxing eloquent" over the death penalty with a glass of scotch and a cigar in his hands than I can see Fitzgerald leading a march for the poor and oppressed with the Cesar Chavez of our day.

I remember once I accidentally milked a cow while in my youth and forgot my dad said she was given a penicillin shot and it went into the bulk tank. 800 gallons of milk went down the drain. $$$ down the drain, but you do not make people sick. Think the big time farmer nowadays gives a crap about people allergic?

Autism, Maybe Jenni is right. It takes a bucket.

Thank the big shots that played "God" with the economy and banks to put the little guys out of business. Got milk?

Another good Raw Story post is the link to the Daily Mail (UK): The Pope condemns the climate change prophets of doom. Say that there isn't a little concordat going between the Vatican and Bush administration.

I wonder if the Resident has ever gone without power or heat a day in his life? Bless the cold and weary of the world.

Hi, Prissy and Slingblade.It was very dark, icy, quiet and COLD here last night. Did either of you happened to see Letterman last night, (I missed it due to mother earth)? Monday's show or "theater" was very strange indeed. Could have been a very old rerun, but I wonder.

Dear Mr. President, It's so hard to stop a "sleeping psychic's prophecy". Mob rule was predicted after the polar shifts begin, and I came to Fitzgerald, went above and beyond the call of duty to stop the "mob rule" by bringing intel to his associates. Now it is in the FEDS hands. Patrick, I hope you one day ask Daley why he had his own hitman murdered two years ago. Just ask. I feel betrayed by Patrick, Mr. President- I don't trust anybody but you. Sad, because I begged for help as I helped him, and only one 5 minute phonecall to my father or a reopening of the divorce with Judge Jack Ryan could give me my bit of justice I deserve after so much pain and sacrifice. Please don't forget about me when you leave office. Oh, Al Maliki responded perfectly to what I suggested you do. We know now that he is a True man and knows where to get help when under "threat". It is now time to give the Iraqi people the lives they deserve, the kind of life that would make them want to help us stand up to the Iranian threat. National pride does more than national fear in battle. No doubt, there will be victory. Then a second victory. God told you right when you prayed and asked for guidance before the comittment of war- "someone else would start the war in the middle east/Iraq if we did not enter" I hope you can understand that God showed me Iraq was going down the wrong path with Saddam, and I had to tell you where he was for capture and justice. I hope the world can forgive me, and if a life of poverty and hopelessness is my punishment, then so be it. It's all I've known when I do God's will. Saddam couldn't keep peace nor ward off Irans, besides turning on his American allies. He would have failed, and changed sides to the "anti zionists". Oh, so people stop harrassing you, you were in Abilene TX at a bar, my Uncle was there too. He had just finished installing an engine on one of the air force bases. The both of you were at the bar, he was the red head, and you were the "oil man". You bought everyone a round. He remembered you. Funny how synchronicity works. Maybe there are coincidences that mean more than just coincidence. Hatch was here in Corydon for a month after the psychological op done on me. He tracked me telepathically. He may be back in Nebraska. I was so confused after what was done to me at the family fair, that I didn't go to him as he was screaming for me behind my bedroom window. Please tell Jeff to call- I have to give him the rest of the intel that needs to go into Senator Mccain's think tank, if there is still hope. Otherwise, providence, civil strife in April I guess. Why did Fitzgerald let me down? Why did the retired guy from homeland security use comedy central to hurt me? Is this how it is? Prophets, Cayce types, healers, we just end up ridiculed and others cruelty drives us to suicidal thoughts? Fitzgerald- one phonecall to Ed 847 891 9408 and tell him he needs to help his daughter after the sexual abuse I went through, because, my father has told me repeatedly to die or become homeless in order to keep himself in denial and looking innocent. Noone would help me for 34 years, and I asked and asked. I begged for someone to sue him on my behalf, but I had to serve my country upmost. Now that I've been "grounded" in Corydon, I have to be honest, I have hope for victory in Iraq, but very little hope that I can continue on. If anyone wants to help reopen my parents divorce by Judge Jack Ryan, call 812 968 5509. What do I have to lose, publicly asking for help? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.Sincerely, your Patriot List female

The Sears Tower 7 mistrial reminded me of another "terror threat" that ocurred just about this time a year ago. Whatever happened to the scary guy who wanted to blow up the shopping center in Rockford but had to sell his stereo speakers so he could buy a grenade? What happened to the air grenadist? Was he ever indicted?

Just helped to get a post up on the chances of doing away with the death penalty here in Oregon as New Jersey has pointed the way, and learned that Obama is being instrumental in "reforming" the death penalty in Illinois (whatever that means). But good on him. I'd like to see him in the Oval Office, and I'd bet his reforms would be the opposite of Bush and Fitzgerald in putting the condemned on a fast conveyer belt to death.

There's a pattern to this blog. First a few comments on the post, then some comments on other serious topics which no one picks up on, third come the "crazies" and finally the gossip mongers with their little bits of cryptic and esoteric information. Then, and only then, the thread will take off.

I'd be more careful in offending "little girl" FYI she's closer to the top than you think. Also the NSA monitors every cry for help, or dis-justice handed to her after two years of L5 intel collection for Fitgerald. Enjoy the mob rule coming to you Chicago- and, some of the ops in the NSA are my biggest fans. Not including the Airforce guys that used to celebrate my birthday every year on base. But, what does that matter to people like you? Guilt and conscience is a sign of being human-not many here are. A desire to do good will is a rare quality in a human. One day, when I'm very old, I'll tell you why the President put me on the Patriot list. By then, it won't matter.

P-fat, remember, she's younger than his friends (he's closer to her dad's age). And his friends went to schools like Dartmouth, U of Chicago, Stanford, Amherst, Harvard, Columbia, W&M ... and she didn't. So it's a struggle. But she has something they don't: youth (and a young physiology with all that implies). Can't buy that.

Anonymous at 12:20, Habitat for Humanity is too much hard work and not enough glory when you're just interested in resume building. Celebrities just want lots of credit for lending their names to a cause. Forming a foundation is probably next, plus I think there are tax breaks for those. Very Republican charity. The Brits have an honor (honour?) for the Queen's birthday called the OBE. It means Order of the British Empire but is commonly known in the UK as Other Buggers' Efforts.

Actually, if there's any correlation between being an Ivy grad and social responsibility, it's probably positive.

Fitz came from a working class background and, if he's like other such guys, felt an obligation to his parents to go for money rather than for something socially meaningful but low paying. Government service is somewhat socially responsible but it tends to attract aggressive, rather than altruistic, people.

All law schools are ranked in terms of "tiers." The LSAT score, to a large degree, determines which tier a student can be accepted into. The first semester grades determine the summer job which determines the post-grad job which determines one's professional course.

In May at Amherst, Fitzgerald talked about "breaking the news" to his mother that he was going to take a short break from a high-paying job into public service. His mother died the next year and he's now in his 20th year of government work. That tenure has easily come at a cost of $2 million to him (assuming a very conservative $100k/year loss in salary).

Firedoglake really built up the Fitz myth (and the irony is rich). The only thing Fitzgerald has done that played into the myth-making was posing for the cover of the Chicago Tribune Magazine. Other than that, he has flown under the radar vis-a-vis with what he could have done.

And I was impressed he kept his personal life out of the media. Even LHP was taken by surprise, and she thought she had an inside track.

His engagement came as a surprise to most media-watchers (including WaPo, who thought they had the proverbial finger on the pulse...). Actually, word leaked out about Fitz's engagement after a Regis event at the beginning of October. Randall just confirmed it a couple of weeks later.

The soundbite about Letzkus is unfortunate because it's so contrived. She's a nice, young(er) middle American divorcee with a middle American education who runs for a hobby. The soundbite is meant to be more intriguing than it is.

It reminds me of the press that swirled around Federico Pena's fiance 20 years ago (she was a "world class" runner and Harvard grad, etc. who went to law school because of daddy and hubby requests -- it all turned out badly).

Anonymous at 4 p.m., most people and most media are not interested in Fitzgerald anymore. If you ask people where I live if they know who he is, I'd bet only 1 out of 25 could give you the answer. I also read the blogs a lot and can say that I only saw the announcement in the Chicago Tribune (although I know it was in the WaPo), here, and in some comments on FDL (not a post). His moment has come and gone and he didn't live up to it. He'd better get used to it.

A grade school teacher used to make us repeat this rhyme:

"A wee little worm in a hickory nut sang happily as can be: I live in the heart of the whole round world, and it all belongs to me."

I wonder how comfortable his older friends (not old, but from NY)are with this, especially Mrs. Comey who some commentor unkindly always points out is slightly older than her husband. I would think that his earlier friends and family had been trying to set him up with nice educated Irish Catholic girls from staunchly Catholic families for years.

Well now, will I have something to tell the relatives so they can spread that around KC.

I wonder why Brownback and Kline didn't support (or Kline didn't develop tools to go after web predators to shut down kiddie porn) like Morrison wanted to do? 5 Billion reasons not to? Quieting Noreen down by playing the hero?

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. - The former head of the leading supplier of body armor to the U.S. military, facing federal charges in an alleged fraud scheme, may be freed after two months in jail but only under house arrest, a judge has ruled.

And instead of the usual bail posting, David H. Brooks must convince prosecutors that they have full control of his millions in assets so he cannot use them to flee, U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert said Friday.

Prosecutors have accused the founder and former chief executive of DHB Industries Inc. of refusing to disclose the location of millions of dollars held overseas, including $4 million recently sent to spiritual leaders in the African nation of Senegal.

The spiritual leaders were paid to pray for Brooks' acquittal, according to testimony at a hearing Friday, but Assistant U.S. Attorney John Martin characterized the expenditures as "quasi-religious."

Brooks' attorney, Paul Shechtman, would say only that "no money was sent to Senegal to hide assets."

If an agreement can be finalized, Brooks could be released within two weeks, Martin said.

Brooks, 53, has pleaded not guilty to charges of insider trading, fraud and tax evasion.

No trial date has been set.

Prosecutors say he garnered more than $185 million by falsely inflating the value of the inventory of DHB's top product, a vest designed to withstand rifle fire and shrapnel, and then selling company stock after the doctored accounting boosted its price. He is also accused of failing to report bonus payments and using company money for lavish personal expenses.---Interesting, why does he think he could pay spiritual leaders of a country 95% Muslim, 5% Christian (mostly Roman Cath) to pray to release him, a Jew? Makes no sense...cash trumps religion every time with these wise guys. What phonies.

It occurred to me the other day when the Ellen show was doing a skit and over-acting as a shampoo girl with water being sprayed all over the person in the chair.... Ellen really sprayed her good, I thought she was trying to baptize the poor woman or something. That joker Ellen! You know who she looks like? Anyway, I think she rocks--I never looked at ______ that way before. Shampooing shouldn't make you have to hold your breath like that. Don't you think?

(Perhaps if certain people admit to one thing, the whole house of cards falls down.)

Thank you 1000 lawyers for standing up for the Constitution. Our troops shouldn't be away from their families while this nation sits in silence.

Yep, Phelps has been out there with those signs more than 15 years ago when I took my boys to see the WWE wrestlers. Thank goodness my kids were too young to read yet I still had to explain why those people with signs were out there screaming at cars at the expo center where the wrestling was held. I always wondered where they got their money.(An interesting story online about Phelp's horrid childhood. Can't remember who wrote it.) Break the cycles of hate.

One cannot help but feel much empathy for this brave woman and her children. It certainly seems like someone lied and covered their own behinds. Imagine what the Kennedy children have felt like among others? Talk about selfish, evil people in the world. It is time to stop the hate.

"The logs sought by the advocacy group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington involve visits to the White House and Vice President Cheney's residence by nine religious commentators, including James Dobson, Gary Bauer and Jerry Falwell."

Hiding something from the People?

**********************************

Oh, that Ellen played poker with her Mama and was going to shave her head! Then her Christmas give-away music came on and saved the day for her Mama.

Did you notice that Maya is backing Hillary instead of Obama/Michelle/Oprah? Now what is up with that?

There is something peaceful about hanging clothes on a line and having the kids carrying on about how wonderful they smell. It costs nothing and your pets will love following you around too.

It is interesting how the names, stories, and crimes repeat themselves almost like someone is looking up newspaper film from a century ago....AND RECREATING HISTORY. 'Course that could go either way, someone gets something they don't earn or who someone suffers for naught.

Mr. Pres- if you still check this for clues (I hope you do) who do I trust- give the plan to Fitzgerald like the NSA says? That would just be Phase 1 anyway. I also had a little "epiphany" on the part of my industry that deals with petroleum. I think I'l just stay the course since God told me this was my calling when I started learning about it on the Kirkland AFB. Can you ask Mayor Daley why he retracted Magnum opus spec gas inc 1.5 million dollar bid (my bid,my corp) and why when he claimed it was retracted for terrorist insurance- all his cronies were the ones who got the money through the Daley Insurance, Bonds etc. Patrick really didn't care that I turned in the Duffs after my spec plan went to George Ryan's office and my cousin Ryan Katcher was murdered in George Ryan's hometown of Kankakee-also near Peotone Project that Tony Perry and I were working on. Can't anyone see the connection?Angela Merckels husband will be a tremendous help in the R&D sector. Can't give it all away! Merry Christmas to the Bush family.Sarah-or your "little rascal"

I have to disagree with Raw Story about the meaning of this song. Billy Joel said he wrote this song not so much as anti-war as we have forgotten that our guys and gals are across the world away from home. (He doesn't believe in telling people how to think and neither should anyone. BUT bring our kids and soldiers home soon!)BTW, all this old music, some I never knew existed, that is coming out reminds me of my youth. Let it jog your memory and be a dinner topic with those relatives that are hard to talk with at family gatherings. You might be surprised at what you find out.

I was awed at my oldest son at our family dinner. We were all discussing racism, religion, and adults on "Facebook" now. Anyway, my youngest (they both attend the same college) said he didn't see any problems at school. My oldest said he did, the football team seems to hate women or has a degrading attitude about women. (Funny the stadium is called, "_____ Family Stadium".) Coach, you got a problem.

I got to tell you it warms this mom's heart that the kid recognizes that type of attitude. Both my sons won awards in high school for football and were in good in basketball. I'm glad they didn't listen to their high school coach after all. They just play sports now for fun and exercise.

Team sports should not be about learning to hate the opposite gender. Someone missed the point completely. Even in high school in the last few years it has changed, no wonder some kids don't want to play. Especially the girls, it should be a lesson for both sides.

As you read this, I don't want you to feel sorry for me because I believe everyone will die someday. My name is Harry Jones, a business merchant in Dubai, in the UNTIED ARAB EMIRATES. I have been diagnosed with esophageal cancer which was discovered very late, due to my laxity in carrying for my health.

I have decided to give alms to charity organizations, as I want this to be one of the last good deeds I do on earth. So far, I have distributed money to some charity organizations in the U.A.E, Algeria and Malaysia. Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself any more.

I once asked members of my family to close one of my accounts and distribute the money which I have there to charity organization in Bulgaria and Pakistan ; they refused and kept the money to themselves. Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be contended with what I have left for them.

The last of my money which no one knows of is the sum of US$12.6 Million which i deposited in a consignment as personal valuables to a security and finance firm in London. I will want you to help me in collecting the deposit and dispatch it to charity organizations.

"Despite his programme's insistence on "rigorous honesty", Bill W. lived a lie. He had innumerable affairs and a long-term mistress with whom he contemplated eloping to Ireland (the scandal would probably have destroyed Alcoholics Anonymous). Susan Cheever's final judgement is unblinking but forgiving: "Bill Wilson never held himself up as a model: he only hoped to help other people by sharing his own experience, strength and hope. He insisted again and again that he was just an ordinary man". An ordinary man who nonetheless did one extraordinary thing."[25]"

Break the cycles for the children, young and old with empathy and wisdom.

"-- Obama's full remarks before the 2004 convention: "In a recent interview, he declined to criticize Senators Kerry and Edwards for voting to authorize the war, although he said he would not have done the same based on the information he had at the time. 'But, I'm not privy to Senate intelligence reports,' Mr. Obama said. 'What would I have done? I don't know. What I know is that from my vantage point the case was not made.' But Mr. Obama said he did fault Democratic leaders for failing to ask enough tough questions of the Bush administration to force it to prove its case for war. 'What I don't think was appropriate was the degree to which Congress gave the president a pass on this,' he said." (New York Times, 7/26/04)"

Funny, on the network news the only one that is slinging mud is Obama and Huckabee. The rest aren't getting much airtime. Maybe Obama wants it to "appear" that way.

I'd rather have see the pain in someone's eyes struggling to speak about their youth, then the arrogance of someone pulling the wool over people's eyes.

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About Me

Think Globally Prosecute Locally
- I grew up in Flatbush, kept my nose clean, went to law school. Now that I am in Chicago and D.C. I have found that the rampant graft and corruption to be a travesty - a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a sham.
---Favorite quote --- "Conditional love is an oxymoron." - Yours truly